Dear Parishioners,

      As we journey through Lent towards Holy Week, we invite everyone to attend and safely participate in services.

We continue to provide live video of all services through our Facebook page.  Also, we want to move towards a normal level of in-person worship, always ensuring we have a safe environment for all parishioners.  During Holy Week, we will have a tent outside the Narthex with additional seating and a live broadcast of the services.  We want to thank everyone for diligently wearing their masks and maintaining proper social distancing; these must continue through Holy Week.  With the outdoor seating, we will increase attendance limits.  Here are our plans; of course, these plans are dependent on continued progress against COVID-19.

Sunday, April 4, Sunday of the Holy Cross

We will hold services in the usual manner, including processing the Cross by maintaining social distancing.

Friday, April 23, Palms and Pizza for our Youth

Friday afternoon at the Church starting at 6:30 PM, pizza will be served outside, followed by Palms folding, either outside under a tent or the Social Hall with social distancing.

Sunday, April 25,  Palm Sunday

We will have additional seating under a tent outside of the Narthex, where we will broadcast the Liturgy.  Our youth will participate in the palms' blessing by re-enacting the young children's spreading palms on the road as Christ entered Jerusalem. We will not have our traditional fish luncheon this year.

Wednesday, April 28, Holy Unction

We will have the 4 PM afternoon anointing service outside in front of the Church to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend and help with social distancing. Although this early service is geared towards young children, it is open to all age groups.

There is no need to sign up for this open outdoor service.

Father John will anoint everyone outside at the end of the service.
The 7 PM evening anointing service will be inside the Church.

Friday, April 30, Holy Friday

We will have myrrh bearers for the afternoon service of the un-nailing of the Cross.  Friday evening, Orthros of Great Saturday will start inside the Church. We will process the Epitaphio around the Church property and complete the service outdoors without returning inside the Church.

Saturday, May 1,  Holy Saturday

Saturday morning, we will have the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil inside the Church with additional outdoor seating.  Saturday night, the Anastasi Liturgy will be held inside with outdoor seating and live broadcast as well.  There will not be a meal after the Liturgy.

Sunday, May 2,  Holy Pascha

The Agape Vespers will be held inside the Church.  We will have an outdoor Easter Egg hunt for children.

Look for detailed information about these activities in the upcoming bulletins.

All-Inclusive 2021 Holy Week Schedule with Family/Youth Oriented Activities

PTO Pascha Tsoureki Sale

As we are gradually returning to church services, we want to have more of you actively participate in the liturgy and the other church services by being a Reader for the Epistles, Psalms, and other prayers offered during the services. You can choose to read in Greek or English.

You have noticed a handful of dedicated Readers doing this occasionally. We want to make this more structured and open to anyone who wants to participate, from GOYA age boys and girls to mature adults. You have also noticed that readings are done from the Left side cantor’s stand in keeping a safe distance from the cantors and the congregation. 

Here is how to participate:

1. Install the AGES Initiatives app on your tablet or mobile phone so that you can have access to all the church services and the Readings for each service.
2. Call or email George Dalagelis at the church office and let him know you are interested in participating. He will go over a brief tutorial with you on the process, how and when to come up, how to intone the verses, how to end the readings etc.
3. Sign up to attend liturgy as you would normally do, but instead of choosing Parishioner, choose Reader on the signup page.

With our Altar Boys’ safety and well-being in mind and keeping with COVID directives and restrictions, we invite all Altar Boys back to church to begin serving again on Sundays (2 per Sunday rotation).

Contact me at 267-255-1380 or Paul.Fisfis@usfoods.com to place your child on the rotation to serve.  

Please make every effort to encourage your son to participate if they are healthy; we miss you all and can't wait to have everyone back together.

Many Blessings!

Paul Fisfis, Altar Servers Coordinator

 

Annunciation Greek School Level 4 students are quite the little writers. Guided by their teacher, Mrs. Effie Pollatou, we are proud to present to you their recent progress.

After looking at vocabulary on snow and after categorizing it, students were asked to assume the role of a reporter reporting live from...

• All-Inclusive 2021 Holy Week Schedule with Family/Youth Oriented Activities
• May 28-29, 2021 - ‘Grab and Go’ Greek Food Fest –(Stay tuned for details).

1. Download the AGES Initiatives app on your smartphone.
2. Click on the Service Calendar. The app defaults to the current date.
3. Choose the bilingual service (Matins, Divine Liturgy, Akathist, Compline, etc.).

Church Wi-Fi:  COA-Guest
Password: coa12345

1. Download the free GivePlus+ mobile app here:  iPhone or Android
2. Make one-time or recurring donations using your debit/credit card or bank account
3. Login or donate as a guest.
4. Securely and conveniently manage donations using Touch ID/Fingerprint, PIN, or password.

Church Wi-Fi:  COA-Guest
Password: coa12345

Philoptochos Apparel and Book Sale

The Ladies Philoptochos 'Nausica' is excited to announce that our new Philoptochos apparel is now available for purchase! 

Show your Philoptochos pride with a logo apron or tote or "An Army of Women" black or camo t-shirt or sweatshirt!  

What an army of women can accomplish is limitless!  

Have you ordered your Yiayia's Greek Table ~ A Taste of Greek Cooking cookbook yet? With close to 70 Lenten recipes and many others that can be made Lenten with the omission of cheese, our cookbook offers many new dishes for you to try. 

Please support our many philanthropies and missions.  Proceeds from the sale of the cookbook and the apparel will be used to fund philanthropic causes, such as the recent support we provided to the people of Texas who have been struck with a crisis of historic proportions and the making of home-cooked meals in partnership with the Homeless Ministry to feed homeless college students. 

We thank you for your support as we minister to those in need. 

Order online at the following link and pick up at church any Sunday after the Divine Liturgy or choose shipping for an additional cost. 

https://ladies-philoptochos-nausica.square.site/ 

Epitaphios Flowers

Dear Fellow Parishioners, Family and Friends of Philoptochos,

As the holiest time of the year approaches and we anxiously await the glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Ladies Philoptochos Society ‘Nausica’ is appealing to you, our parishioners, family, and friends, for a donation that will enable us to continue with our longstanding tradition of decorating our beautiful Epitaphios of Holy Friday with flowers.

Last year, we were unable to celebrate Holy Friday as a church family due to the pandemic restrictions.  This year, God willing, we hope to see as many of you as possible on Holy Friday.  As you walk into our church, we hope your spirits will be lifted with the beauty and magnificence of our Epitaphios, beautifully adorned with the flowers you helped purchase through your generous donation.

The easiest way to contribute is via GivePlus+. Choose Philoptochos Society and enter Epitaphios Flowers for the purpose of your donation.

Your generosity, as in the past, is greatly appreciated.  Kali Sarakosti!

In the Service of our Lord,

Stella Fisfis, President

Patra Karidas and Maria Mountis, Epitaphios Committee

Ladies Philoptochos 'Nausica' 2021-2023 Chapter Board οf Directors Elections

Elections for the 2021-2023 Board of Directors will take place on Sunday, May 16, 2021, in the Cultural Center following the Divine Liturgy. 

All parish COVID protocols will be followed so that we may conduct our elections in a safe manner. 

We invite all Philoptochos ‘Nausica’ members who are interested in seeking election to the Board to submit their name to Diane Saphos, Chair, Election Screening Committee, via email to dsaphos@msn.com or cell 215-208-5832 no later than Sunday, May 9, 2021. 

All candidates seeking election to the Chapter Board must qualify in accordance with the Philoptochos Bylaws as follows:

In order to be a candidate for election to the Chapter Board, a full member must have been a member in good standing with the parish and chapter for a period of at least one full year prior to the date of election to the Chapter Board and ** must have attended a minimum of four (4) meetings held in the previous year.** All candidates must be present at the election meeting unless reasonable cause for such absence is provided.

A member is qualified to serve on the Board of Directors of one chapter only.

** Due to limited meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, exceptions to this requirement may be permitted. 

Please contact Stella Fisfis, President at 215-485-3810 or Diane Saphos, Chair, Election Screening Committee at 215-208-5832, or dsaphos@msn.com with any questions. 

The Resource Center Invites You to Join Us as We Pray the Psalter Together this Lent!

"Bind yourselves to your brethren. Those bound together in love bear everything with ease….If now you want to make the bond double, your brother must also be bound together with you. He wants us to be bound together with one another, not only to be at peace, not only to be friends but to be all one, a single soul. Beautiful is this bond. With this bond, we bind ourselves together both to one another and to God. This is not a chain that bruises. It does not cramp the hands.
It leaves them free, gives them ample room and greater courage." - St. John Chrysostom

Sign-up Here for Our
Annunciation Psalter Group

Learn How It Works Here

Resources for praying the Psalter, available through the Resource Center or online: 

The Psalter According to the Seventy (Greek-English). This beautiful hardcover edition contains the translation of the Psalms used in our liturgical services.

The Psalter (“pocket” size). Just the right size to take with you wherever you go.

Christ in the Psalms. In two-page meditations on each of the psalms, Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon takes readers on an enlightening pilgrimage through the prayerbook of the Church.

Songs of Praise: A Psalter Devotional for Orthodox Women. Along with the Psalter, this book offers reflections on the Psalms and pages for journaling.

Orthodox Study Bible. The complete Bible with commentary.

Our next serving date at Aviator Park is on April 22nd. Thanks to the generous support of our church family, all the requested items for the “Blessing Bags” have been donated! If you would like to help serve, distribute the blessing bags or donate food, please sign up HERE.

Following are the names of some of the people we serve at Aviator Park. Please include them and all of those experiencing homelessness in your prayers throughout Lent:

Prince, Gabriel, Lawrence, John, Steven, Angel, Herman, Kevin, Anna, Jiri (Yar-E), Ernie, Aya, Syenid (Sigh-Ah-Nid), Helen, Clyde, Jack, Sean, Sean, Lillian, Sam, Drew, Jean, Ronald, Jill, Rico, G, Narcissos, Carlos, John, Janice, Drew, Mercedes, Helen, Zack, Alex, Tony, Lepour, Brent, Gloria, Doug, Mark, Wolf, Marsha, Raleigh, Dan. 

In Christ's service,

The Homeless Ministry

Our Weekly Bulletin is emailed to 550+ parishioners by Friday every week.

If you know of a parishioner who is not receiving the e-bulletin and would like to, please encourage them to visit our website and enter their email at the Join Our Email Listserv button on the homepage. Alternatively, give us a call (215) 635-0316 or email us at the parish office, and we will gladly do it for you.

If you know of a parishioner who does not have an email address, please let us know to place them on our Paper Bulletin mailing list.

We thank you for your support, patience, and cooperation. 

Apply HERE for the 2021 CrossRoad Summer Institute

Apply HERE for 2021-2022  Scholarships

We are delighted to share an exciting new initiative, ideal for high-school graduates of Greek heritage:

Know Thyself while exploring Greece, volunteering for a worthy cause, and adventuring on cultural immersion. An exceptional way to enrich the students' educational and life experiences, and a unique opportunity to deepen the connection and understanding of Greek culture.

College Year in Athens (CYA) is offering two opportunities for Gap Year students: one for those passionate about antiquity with the program "Archaeological Field Work: Excavation, Workshops and Digital Technologies" and one for those interested in learning more about activism and diversity, with the program "Understanding Activism, Diversity, and Equity: the example of Greece".

While gaining a fuller understanding of a different culture via interactive learning methods, students will create an e-portfolio as a record of what is learned and accomplished through this program. Field trips within Greece will not only allow the broadening of perspective and expanding of the worldview but mainly grant them a unique chance to come into a close encounter with the land of their ancestors whose cultural heritage became the pillar of the western civilization.

CYA, recognizing the difficult times that COVID-19 has created, has established the Fall 2021 Gap Flight Award. A student who will be accepted in the Fall 2021 Gap program, will receive $1,000 to offset the cost of the round-trip ticket to/from Athens, Greece.

College Year in Athens (CYA) is a non-profit educational institution, which, since 1962, provides English-speaking undergraduates (more than 10,000 to date)  the transformative experience to study in Athens and familiarize themselves with the Greek culture.  To find out how Greece & CYA is faring up, please check out the COVID-19 FAQ on our website here.

OUR SUSTAINING STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE

A Sustaining Steward commits to stay engaged continuously and support the church through regular weekly or monthly payments. A Sustaining Steward’s pledge rolls over to the following year without filling out a pledge card each year. A Sustaining Steward can adjust their pledge anytime to reflect their level of commitment or personal/family situation.

WHY BECOME A SUSTAINING STEWARD?
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SUSTAINING STEWARDSHIP?

Becoming a Sustaining Steward (1) fulfills God’s command to give faithfully and regularly.  As a sustaining steward, your enrollment and giving (2) rolls-over annually, eliminating the need to re-register and re-pledge every year. This automatic and recurring giving also (3) helps the church address seasonal funding gaps, and (4) helps us achieve festival independence, allowing us to save more. 

Ultimately, it (5) creates better ministry and budgetary planning, and (6) helps support our church, her ministries, and their growth. 

HOW DO I BECOME A SUSTAINING STEWARD?

1. Fill out the Family Information Form HERE (first- time registration or annual update)

2. Fill out the Online Pledge Form HERE and choose  your method of payment (auto-debit from a debit card, credit card, or checking account through GivePlus⁺; personal check; or your bank’s bill payer service)

3. If you are already signed up for regular payments through GivePlus+ or your bank's bill payer service, you are already a Sustaining Steward!  Please adjust your pledge and payment to reflect your new level of commitment for 2021 and ensure your automatic payments continue through the new year.

Annunciation is a full stewardship parish that requires no minimum pledge to be a Steward.
Our Stewardship Program encourages parishioners 18 and over to pledge donations in any amount, according to the blessings they have received from our Lord.
Our Stewardship Pledge Drive starts in November for the following calendar year, although new members and current members may submit a pledge at any time.
We offer you the Weekly Giving Guideline chart below to help you determine your level of giving. Being a good steward is using your resources wisely.

Weekly Giving Guidelines
Weekly Income	10%	5%	4%	2%
$500	$50	$25	$20	$10
$750	$75	$37	$30	$15
$1000	$100	$50	$40	$20
$1500	$150	$75	$60	$30
$2000	$200	$100	$80	$40

On this week's episode of "Live with the Louhs," a radio ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, hosts Fr. Nicholas and his wife, Dr. Roxanne, a Clinical Psychologist, discuss "Self Esteem And Our Children" with Psychologist, Dr. Philip Mamalakis, Professor at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

Overseas missions is an experience that fulfills our calling as Christians, transforms individuals who participate and infects the local parish with a zeal for sharing the faith.Mission-minded parishes instill the importance of mission. Parishioners return from overseas missions forever changed. A missionary mindset can play a key role in revitalizing the faith of active Orthodox Christians and the entire parish.

• Celebrating 200 Years of Freedom- GOARCH Sponsored Events

• 1821 Revolution Documentary (in Greek)

• Greek Revolution of 1981

• Greece today, 200 years after independence

• Greeks who left their mark on the world in the last 200 years

• 2021 as a window of opportunity for the future of Greece

• Ελλάδα 2021

• “Greece 2021” Releases Video for 200 Years of Greek Independence